Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond dam
Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond
The Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond in Issaquah, Washington, serves as a crucial infrastructure for flood risk reduction in the area. Completed in 2008, this earth dam structure stands at a hydraulic height of 22 feet and spans 600 feet in length. With a maximum storage capacity of 53 acre-feet and a normal storage capacity of 44 acre-feet, it plays a vital role in managing water levels and protecting the surrounding community from potential flooding events.
Owned and regulated by the Washington Department of Ecology, the pond is located offstream of the East Fork Issaquah Creek and covers a drainage area of 0.28 square miles. Despite its high hazard potential, the detention pond has been assessed as satisfactory in condition, with the last inspection conducted in April 2018. The facility is designed to effectively mitigate flood risks and ensure the safety of nearby residents, highlighting the importance of proactive water resource management in the face of changing climate patterns.
With its strategic location and engineering design, the Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond stands as a key component of flood risk reduction efforts in King County, Washington. As a local government-owned structure, it plays a critical role in safeguarding the community from potential inundation events and ensuring the effective management of water resources in the region. With its satisfactory condition assessment and adherence to state regulatory standards, this detention pond serves as a model for sustainable water infrastructure development in the face of climate change challenges.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Issaquah Creek Near Mouth Near Issaquah | 44 cfs | → |
| Raging River Near Fall City | 32 cfs | → |
| Issaquah Creek Near Hobart | 27 cfs | → |
| Snoqualmie River Near Snoqualmie | 1,610 cfs | → |
| Mercer Creek Near Bellevue | 12 cfs | → |
| Snoqualmie River Near Carnation | 1,430 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond.
Boat launches
- Southeast Fish Hatchery Road 36495-37159, Fall City
- Northeast Tolt Hill Road 30348-30762, Carnation
- I 90 Trail Bellevue
- Lake Langlois Road Northeast King County
- Shady Lake Boat Ramp
- West Lake Sammamish Parkway Northeast Redmond
Campgrounds
Paddle runs
- Snoqualmie Falls To Plum's Landing
- Confluence With Taylor River To Confluence With North Fork Snoqualmie River
- Wagner Bridge To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
- Quartz Road To Confluence With Middle Fork Snoqualmie River
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary To Quartz Creek Road
- Outlet Of Snoqualmie Lake To Alpine Lakes Wilderness Boundary
Track Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond
Where does the data for Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Issaquah Highlands Detention Pond.